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JMM28

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Not if you take Jay Hammond never thought I'd enjoy theology

The one time I happen to agree with you... :) I took Jay's "The Matrix in Religion" class in 2004... toughest theology class I've ever had. Started with 30 students, ended up with 11.

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I never put these two aspects of my life together. But you make a good point. SLU's Core requirements (which are a bit extreme) make actually be detrimental for basketball.

Villanova, a Catholic university under the auspices of the Augustinian fathers, is in the 2016 Final Four.

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I never put these two aspects of my life together. But you make a good point. SLU's Core requirements (which are a bit extreme) make actually be detrimental for basketball.

No way- the Jesuits educate the whole person. Anthony Bonner once took Philosophy from the late, great Fr. John Kavanaugh.

These basketball players realize this as they progress with their lives, as I did in mine.

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Back to the issue of academics at SLU. SLU is not a diploma factory as some schools are. For example, remember Willie, same class as Kwamain. He was a very good basketball player but could not cope with academics at SLU and dropped out. You do not see players dropping out of state schools because of academics, or do you?

Especially at that hard to get into UNC, unless you're an athlete. That they are in the final four makes a travesty of college athletics. Should have got the double death penalty, since their junks been going on for about 20+ years.

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Villanova, a Catholic university under the auspices of the Augustinian fathers, is in the 2016 Final Four.

In quickly comparing Villanova to SLU's Cores. Villanova Arts and Sciences students have 13 classes they need to take in the core. SLU students have 20 (listed below). SLU Arts and Sciences students have to take 2 years Core Requirements. It is a problem not only for college basketball transfers (who I doubt have over a semesters worth of the needed theology and philosophy coming in), but also for other transfers as most other schools do not have such an extensive core.

http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/undergrad/core.html

http://www.slu.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences-home/undergraduate-education/ba-core-requirements

Nova students take:

2 Theology Classes

1 Cultural Seminar Class

1 Philosophy Class

1 Writing Class

2 Social Science Classes

2 Science Classes

2 Foreign Language

1 Fine Arts

2 Diversity (as part of their other classes)

1 Capstone Class

SLU Students take

3 Theology Classes

3 Philosophy Classes

1 Intro Writing class (Foundations

1 Foreign Language

1 Math Class

2 Literature Classes

2 Science Classes

2 World History Classes

2 Social Science Classes

1 Fine Arts Class

2 Diversity Classes (these can often double count with another class above)

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I graduated in 2010 and different degrees had different requirements even for the "core" I know when I was in Parks College it required a lot less of the humanities. I thought the business school had different requirements than Arts and Sciences as well. Most of the intro classes for the humanities were very easy. Personally I just don't see SLU's academics as a deterrent for quality players. Look at schools that are equal or even better than SLU in academics and they still do well, Villanova, Xavier, Gonzaga, Georgetown, Marquette, Creighton, etc. I do agree that transfers from Juco or other schools have a disadvantage. Its hard for them to squeeze all the requirements in.....not sure how the other private institutions handle this. I know when I switched from Engineering to Chemistry I had to really cram a lot of the core requirements in. Oh and as someone posted earlier.....i think the average act for SLU is 28 with a minimum of 25 @64% acceptance rate.

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How many basketball players are in A&S? We have one Mechanical Engineering student (Austin Eagleton, a walk-on) and one education student, Davell Roby. 3 are communication majors in A&S. The rest are in the B-School.

It would be worth noting that the B-School requires 2 Theology and 2 Philosophy classes. Obviously more than a state school, but hardly an overwhelming burden if the rest of their coursework is in order.

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I graduated in 2010 and different degrees had different requirements even for the "core" I know when I was in Parks College it required a lot less of the humanities. I thought the business school had different requirements than Arts and Sciences as well. Most of the intro classes for the humanities were very easy. Personally I just don't see SLU's academics as a deterrent for quality players. Look at schools that are equal or even better than SLU in academics and they still do well, Villanova, Xavier, Gonzaga, Georgetown, Marquette, Creighton, etc. I do agree that transfers from Juco or other schools have a disadvantage. Its hard for them to squeeze all the requirements in.....not sure how the other private institutions handle this. I know when I switched from Engineering to Chemistry I had to really cram a lot of the core requirements in. Oh and as someone posted earlier.....i think the average act for SLU is 28 with a minimum of 25 @64% acceptance rate.

How many basketball players are in A&S? We have one Mechanical Engineering student (Austin Eagleton, a walk-on) and one education student, Davell Roby. 3 are communication majors in A&S. The rest are in the B-School.

It would be worth noting that the B-School requires 2 Theology and 2 Philosophy classes. Obviously more than a state school, but hardly an overwhelming burden if the rest of their coursework is in order.

Different schools have different cores. I just had never really thought about how my advising appointments with students (which often include grumbles about the A&S core) had much to do with my basketball interest. I doubt it affects basketball much (if a player wants to come here, SLU will find a way). But I would not be surprised if it does hurt us in JUCO world a little.

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No way- the Jesuits educate the whole person. Anthony Bonner once took Philosophy from the late, great Fr. John Kavanaugh.

These basketball players realize this as they progress with their lives, as I did in mine.

A mutual +1,000 back to you. Very good post.

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Email from Postello

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

I write to share with you the announcement below from the Department of Athletics that Travis Ford has been selected as the new men’s basketball coach.

Coach Ford will be introduced to the SLU community and the media at noon Thursday, March 31, at Chaifetz Arena. If your schedule allows, I invite you to join us to welcome Travis to SLU.

I want to thank Director of Athletics Chris May and Vice President for Student Development Kent Porterfield for their tireless efforts in conducting the coaching search.

I hope to see you at Chaifetz Arena.

Sincerely,

Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D.
President

Travis Ford Tabbed Men’s Basketball Coach

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 30, 2016

ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University has announced that Travis Ford has been named head coach of the Billikens’ men’s basketball program.

SLU Director of Athletics Chris May announced the hiring Wednesday night. Coach Ford will be introduced at a press conference at Chaifetz Arena on Thursday, March 31, at noon (CT). The press conference is open to the public and will be streamed live on www.slubillikens.com.

The new Billikens coach will embark on his 20th season as a head coach in the fall.

“We are thrilled to welcome Travis and his family into the program,” May said. “Our vision for Billiken basketball is to be nationally competitive, and Travis shares in that vision. He has had success everywhere he has coached. Travis is an accomplished recruiter and program-builder and is highly respected throughout college basketball. We are excited about the future of our program with Travis as our head men’s basketball coach.”

“Our University strategic plan recognizes that our athletic programs increase SLU’s national visibility and institutional pride,” said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. “I am convinced that Coach Ford will bring the energy, experience, recruitment skills and coaching acumen needed to position our men’s basketball program among the best in the country. He is also a person who will engage our community, advance our mission and build our brand.”

“First and foremost, my family and I are excited to be a part of the Billiken program,” Ford said. “I look forward to working with Chris May and Dr. Pestello in making this one of the top programs in America. We are going to deliver a brand of basketball that is fun, exciting, aggressive and up-tempo – one that recruits will love playing and fans will love watching.

“St. Louis is a great sports city and my family and I are honored to become a part of it,” Ford continued. “We have a great setting to recruit to with a wonderful city, beautiful campus, terrific school and a first-class facility. I can’t wait to engage with the student body and the fans as we work together to build a brand that everyone will be excited about.”

In 19 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Ford has a 345-257 record. He has had head-coaching stints at Oklahoma State (eight years, 2008-16), Massachusetts (three years, 2005-08), Eastern Kentucky (five years, 2000-05) and Campbellsville University. Ford has led his team to the NCAA Tournament six times. He has coached six players who have gone on to play in the NBA and five who have been named conference player of the year.

Most recently, Ford spent eight seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State University and led the Cowboys to a 155-111 record and five NCAA Tournament appearances, including three in the last four years. He recruited three McDonald’s All-Americans to Stillwater during his tenure.

Ford is familiar with the Atlantic 10 Conference, having spent three years as head coach at the University of Massachusetts. He led the Minutemen to a pair of 20-win seasons in 2006-07 (A-10 regular-season co-champions, NIT second round) and 2007-08 (NIT finalist). UMass defeated Syracuse and Florida in the 2008 NIT quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

Over the span of five seasons at Eastern Kentucky, Ford engineered a turnaround that saw the Colonels post 22 victories his final year after they registered seven in each of his first two seasons. In 2004-05, EKU won the Ohio Valley Conference title to give the program its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 26 years.

Ford began his first foray into coaching in 1997 with a three-year stint at Campbellsville University, an NAIA school in Kentucky.

Ford played the majority of his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky, helping the Wildcats to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his three seasons (1992, 1993, 1994). He was a junior on the 1993 Wildcat team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four. Ford transferred to Kentucky after one season (1989-90) at the University of Missouri.

Ford, 46, is a native of Madisonville, Ky. He and his wife, Heather, have three children: Brooks, Kyleigh and Shane. Ford earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Kentucky in 1994.

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